Meet Frank, MAKO’s Plant Manager. With 18+ years in the industry, Frank brings experience, leadership, and a hands-on approach to keeping the plant running at its best. We sat down with him to get to know the person behind the role.
Q. Biggest pet peeve on a construction site?
A. Not doing pre-start checks. Catching a fluid leak early takes five minutes; ignoring it can cost thousands in repairs and downtime. Some guys are really good at it, others not so much.
Q. Diesel or electric?
A. Diesel for the heavy stuff, electric for the tight spaces. Electric is great for indoor or urban gear, but diesel still does the heavy lifting.
Q. Most important quality in a Plant Manager?
A. Thick skin and a calm head. Things go wrong constantly, so you can't be someone who panics when a machine blows a hose.
Q. One word that describes plant management?
A. Optimisation.
Q. One piece of advice for the next generation?
A. Get your hands dirty. You can't run a fleet properly from a laptop. You need to understand how the iron actually works.
Q. You've spent more than 18 years in plant management. What originally attracted you to this industry?
A. It really wasn’t something I was looking for. After spending several years in Europe and the UK, I came home wanting to start a business but couldn’t decide what to do. In the meantime, I needed an income, so I saw a job at the local hire centre in Te Puke and thought I’d do it for six months. That was back in 2006, and I’m still here because I’ve enjoyed it so much! I’ve always enjoyed working with engines and cars, and with my recruitment background, it just came naturally.